Summary

The author experienced improved skin, better body awareness, weight loss, and personal growth while facing challenges after adopting a vegan diet for three months.

Abstract

The author, influenced by vegan documentaries and research, embarked on a three-month vegan diet experiment following graduation. This lifestyle change led to unexpected health benefits, including clearer skin, improved listening to body cues, and effortless weight loss. Despite the positive outcomes, the author acknowledges the difficulty of the transition, particularly in social settings where vegan options are limited. The experience also brought awareness to global issues and deepened the author's understanding of their own body's needs without the primary intention of advocating for animal rights.

Opinions

The author was initially motivated by health benefits rather than ethical concerns for animals.
Dr. Michael Greger and Dr. Michael Klaper were significant influences, providing scientifically backed health information.
The author believes in the health advantages of a plant-based diet, as emphasized by Dr. Klaper's definition of health.
Overeating is a common issue that the author personally experienced, which was mitigated by the vegan diet.
The social aspect of eating was challenging for the author as a new vegan, requiring constant awareness of food choices.
The author respects individual dietary choices and does not advocate for veganism as a one-size-fits-all solution.
The experiment was a learning experience that the author values for the personal insights and health improvements gained.

What Happened When I Went Vegan for 3 Months

An interesting summer experiment

Last year I fell in the rabbit hole of watching vegan Netflix documentaries like “Cowspiracy”, “What the Health”, and “Forks Over Knives”. I liked the message these films were putting out so I decided to delve into some more research.

As cruel as it may sound I wasn’t interested in veganism just for the animals. Like so many in America, I had been raised my whole life eating meat. Killing and eating animals was a part of my concept of the circle of life. And while it is hard to change a mindset that is ingrained into you from a young age, it can be done.

It just takes time.

When I looked into the health benefits of going vegan I came across big names like Dr. Michael Greger and Dr. Michael Klaper. I immediately found a ton of health benefits backed by science. On Dr. Michael Geger’s website “Nutrition Facts”, I found the material broken down into alphabetical order by popular health topics.

Dr. Michael Klaper also has a blog and videos with a ton of information on why he thought a plant-based diet was the best for our health.

“Health is having a body that moves without pain, breathes without distress and allows us to perform the activities of life with complete presence and focused energy. Then, we can love fully and enjoy our lives to the fullest.”

— Dr. Michael Klaper

It took me about 3 months of reading about veganism before I took the plunge. I had just graduated from college and moved back home for the summer so I finally decided to give it a try.

Here’s what happened…

My skin cleared up

Like a lot of people, I’ve struggled with acne throughout my teenage years and into young adulthood.

I’ve tried so many different acne remedies, but none of them have seemed to work. Cleansers, ointments, medications — you name it.

I knew that diet could be a factor contributing to acne, but I never made any changes. Instead, I just learned to deal with my acne.

Once I switched to veganism, the change in my skin wasn’t immediate, but it was relatively quick. My skin became less red after about a couple of weeks and the acne started to clear up after about 2 months.

And, I have to be honest — I made this switch a year ago and my skin is still clearer than it had ever been before the experiment.

I listened to my body

It is extremely easy to overeat. For me, it is something that I have done my whole life. I was taught that you should finish your meal before leaving the table. This caused me to never listen to when my body was full. Instead, I would continue eating until I was done.

When I went vegan, I started listening to my body’s cues. I was in tune with when I was full versus when I was hungry. Plus I didn’t feel sluggish and tired all the time.

I felt light and energetic.

I lost weight without trying

This was a pleasant side effect of the experiment. I had been working a lot over the summer and was neglecting working out or running like I usually do. But, that didn’t matter, I still lost weight without trying.

It wasn’t a vast transformation, but I managed to lose 7 pounds by the end of the summer without putting much work.

I know what you may be thinking, well is it simply because you weren’t eating as much? Don’t vegans just eat leaves?

No.

I felt as though I was consuming more, and I was still eating carbohydrate-rich foods like rice, pasta, and beans.

And the best part — I wasn’t counting calories or measuring food out.

I’m sure if I had measured my food intake and counted calories then I could have lost even more, but I didn’t try veganism to lose weight.

Losing weight happened to be a bonus!

It was hard

Yes — it was hard.

And not hard in the way, you may think. I found it exciting to explore new recipes and foods that I hadn’t tried before. The part that made it hard was feeling like I was missing out.

So much of our food is consumed in a social setting. Sometimes we order out, go on vacation with our families, attend weddings, or simply want to grab an ice cream with friends.

But, when you are vegan, especially a new one, you have to consciously think about what you are eating.

And while consciously thinking about what you eat is a good thing, it can be super hard at first. Having to say no to people or explain yourself can get a little awkward, especially for someone who is trying it for the first time.

I know veganism isn’t for everyone and it’s certainly not something I would push on anyone. There are many reasons people make the switch, and I don’t think we should judge the reason why people do something.

What you eat is a personal choice and is influenced by many different factors. As for me, I’m glad I tried it because it taught me a lot about world issues that I was unaware of and allowed me to become more in tune with my body.